Weekend box office: The Witch and Risen can’t beat Deadpool

Brad SturdivantFebruary 21st, 2016

It was an interesting weekend at the box office as we saw three new movies hit the top ten, but none were able to knock DEADPOOL from the top spot or even KUNG FU PANDA 3 from second place. But the most perplexing performance at the weekend box office has to be from THE WITCH (click the link to read our review). I can’t remember a more talked about horror movie than THE WITCH in the last few years and despite near-unanimous positive reviews, the film couldn’t even crack $10 million. It’s sad and frustrating that second rate horror movies can bring in $40 million, but a truly scary, original and disturbing horror film barely cracks the top five. But then there’s RISEN, which appealed to the Christian audiences and it managed over $11 million. I’ll let you compare the performance of RISEN and THE WITCH and decide for yourself what that says about America’s taste in movies.

Next week should be another interesting weekend. First up is the comically bad looking GODS OF EGYPT. The trailers make it look like it takes itself way too seriously, but people seem to be genuinely excited about it because of how bad it looks. Maybe it will be a chance for a do-it-yourself Mystery Science Theater 3000 experience. But if paying to see an awful movie isn’t your thing, there’s also the sports comedy EDDIE AND THE EAGLE with Hugh Jackman as well as TRIPLE 9 with Casey Affleck and Anthony Mackie. Despite the new contenders next weekend, my money is on DEADPOOL to repeat atop the weekend box office. Note: the numbers below will be updated as they become final.